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2 the Burial Practices of the Gravettian and the Epi

2 the Burial Practices of the Gravettian and the Epi

2

THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE AND THE EPI-GRAVETTIAN PERIODS IN , , AND

TATA CARA PENGUBURAN ZAMAN GRAVETTIAN DAN EPI-GRAVETTIAN DI ITALIA, REPUBLIK CEKO, DAN RUSIA

Johan Arif

Applied Geology Group (KKGT) Faculty of Earth Science & , Bandung Institute of Technology (FITB-ITB)

[email protected]

ABSTRACT This paper describes the burial practice in the Gravettian (early Upper ) and the Epi-Gravettian periods (late ) in Italy, and the Gravettian period (early Upper Paleolithic) in Czech and Russia. In Italy, the Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian burial sites were mostly situated in because geologically Italy has extensive karstic systems throughout Alpine mountains. Meanwhile, the Gravettian single and multiple burial sites in Czech and Russia were found in an alluvial plain. The single burials are more numerous in the Epi-Gravettian than the Gravettian periods in Italy. Furthermore, Italy has the largest number of the Gravettian single and multiple burials compared to Czech and Russia. If the compass direction and the corpse placement (prosthesis) in the ground and the position of the head are considered, it apparently links to their origin. The ancestors of the Gravettian peoples in Italy, Czech, and Russia are supposed to have originated from the East or Southeast. The disparity of cultural behavior between the Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian periods in Italy can be deduced by the number of single burial and the environmental condition where the Gravettian period developed during the (LGM), while the Epi-Gravettian happened in warmer condition.

Keywords: burial practice, Gravettian and Epi-Gravettian, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia

ABSTRAK Pada artikel ini dibahas tata cara penguburan pada zaman Gravettian (awal paleolitik atas) dan zaman Epi-Gravettian (akhir paleolitik atas) di Italia, dan zaman Gravettian (awal paleolitik atas) di Republik Ceko dan Rusia. Di Italia, situs penguburan di zaman Gravettian dan Epi-Gravettian umumnya terdapat di dalam gua karena situs-situs tersebut berada di wilayah sistem karst. Situs-situs penguburan di Republik Ceko dan Rusia pada umumnya terletak di dataran alluvial. Di Italia, situs penguburan tunggal lebih banyak pada zaman Epi-Gravettian dibandingkan dengan pada zaman Gravettian, dan Italia memiliki jumlah situs penguburan tunggal dan ganda terbanyak pada zaman Gravettian dibandingkan dengan di Republik Ceko dan di Rusia. Melihat kepada arah kompas penempatan jenazah, posisi hadap dan posisi letak kepala jenazah, diduga hal ini berkaitan dengan asal-mula leluhur atau nenek moyang manusia-manusia Gravettian di Italia, Republik Ceko dan Rusia yang diduga datang dari arah Timur atau Tenggara. Di Italia, perbedaan fenomena budaya antara zaman Gravettian dan Epi-Gravettian mungkin dapat dikenal dengan melihat jumlah situs penguburan tunggal dan kepada fenomena lingkungan tempat budaya Gravettian berlangsung selama zaman es terakhir, sedangkan budaya Epi-Gravettian berkembang dalam lingkungan yang lebih hangat.

Kata Kunci: tata cara penguburan, Gravettian dan Epi-Gravettian, Italia, Republik Ceko, Rusia THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE GRAVETTIAN AND... Johan Arif 3

INTRODUCTION sapiens into several cultures (see Fig 1), as The Upper Paleolithic (UP) burial practices in follows: (34,000-27,000 ago), have excited the imagination of scientists Gravettian (27,000-21,000 years ago), due to the uniqueness of their practices. The (21,000-16,500 years ago), and Upper Paleolithic burials were deliberately done. (16,500-11,000 years ago) (Klein, 1989; Klein They were also accompanied by sophisticated & Edgar, 2002; Riel-Salvatore & Gravel-Miguel material and culturally important remains (Riel- ,2012; Svoboda, 2007). Salvatore & Gravel-Miguel, 2013). It apparently rose in Early and Late Upper Paleolithic (EUP & Burial Practice in The Gravettian and The LUP) represented by the Gravettian and the Epi- Epi-Gravettian Periods Gravettian periods, respectively. In the context of The Upper Paleolithic (UP) period in Europe is environmental conditions, the Gravettian period generally associated with the hunter-gatherers took place during the between 25,000- Homo sapiens and their patterns of behavior 18,000 years ago, and the Epi-Gravettian period (Holt & Formicola, 2008). In this period, the during the time afterwards (Fig 1) (Wade ,2006; burial practices began to be performed, especially Klein, 1989; Riel-Salvatore & Gravel-Miguel, in the Gravettian (early UP) and Epi-Gravettian 2012; Holt & Formicola, 2008; Bertolini et.al, (late UP) periods (Klein, 1989; Riel-Salvatore & 2015. Gravel-Miguel, 2012). Burial practice is an important source of information of the structure of ancient societies and an indicator of a religious awareness (Lapteff ,2013; Giacobini, 2007). The elaborate burial practices in the Upper Paleolithic (UP) period might indicate a change in the cultural patterns of societies throughout Europe, especially in Western and Eastern Europe, compared to the previous era. The Gravettian and Epi-Gravettian peoples often buried their dead, in a single or multiple pits in the ground. The single burial contains one corpse, and the multiple burials contain number of corpses. Those pits can be in a closed site such as in hills (caves and rock-shelters) or at an open site such as alluvial plains. In addition, they often put a variety of surrounding the dead such as , , stone tools and anthropomorphic or zoomorphic (Fig 2), which were sprinkled with Figure 1 The Timeline Of The Upper Paleolithic Homo Sapiens In Europe And The Gravettian Relation With red- by which it was more common in the The Ice Age (Last Glacial Maximum Lgm). The Epi- Gravettian than in the Epi-Gravettian periods Gravettian Consists Of Solutrean And Magdalenian (Riel-Salvatore & Gravel-Miguel, 2013; Soffer Cultures. et al, 2000). Red ochre is an iron oxide () that readily imparts its color to anything that Homo Sapiens in Europe and Their Cultures encounters it. Ethnographically, sources of Homo sapiens began to appear about 40,000 this coloring agent were used universally in years ago in Europe (DeCorse, 2000; Klein, the hunter-gatherer communities as having 1989). Furthermore, the archaeologist in Europe some kind of relationship with ritual behavior divided the Upper Paleolithic (UP) of Homo (Hayden, 2003). 4 Jurnal Sosioteknologi Volume 20, No. 1, April 2021

This paper will describe the burial practice in the early and late Upper Paleolithic (UP) periods in Italy, Czech, and Russia, which are represented by the Gravettian and the Epi- Gravettian periods by studying four issues : the location of burial site, the presence of single versus multiple burials, the compass position of the corpse in the ground, and the corpse placement (prosthesis) in the ground. Several locations of single and multiple burial pits in Western and Central Europe (Italy & Czech), and Eastern Europe (Russia) are studied (Table 1 - 4). All the data were taken from Riel-Salvatore & Gravel-Miguel (2013).

Figure 2 The Early Upper Paleolithic (Gravettian) Anthropomorphic () from Russia (Dolni Vestonika I) and (Willendorf) (Soffer Et Al., 2000)

TABLE 1 SAMPLES FROM THE GRAVETTIAN SINGLE BURIAL

No. Single Burial (Gravettian) Location Site 1. Barma Grande 5 Italy 2. Cavillon 1 Italy Cave 3. Grotta delle Arene candite II principe Italy Cave 4. Grotta di Baousso da Certain Torre 1 Italy Cave 5. Grotta di Baousso da Certain Torre 2 Italy Cave 6. Grotta di Baousso da Certain Torre 3 Italy Cave 7. Grotta Paglicci 15 Italy Cave 8. Grotta Paglicci 25 Italy Cave 9. Grotte des Enfants 4 Italy Cave 10. Ostuni 1 Italy Cave 11. Ostuni 2 Italy Cave 12. Pavlov 1 Czech Open 13. Dolni Vestonica 3 Czech Open 14. Kostenki 14 Russia Open 15. Kostenki 18 Russia Open 16. 1 Russia Open THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE GRAVETTIAN AND... Johan Arif 5

TABLE 2 SAMPLES FROM THE GRAVETTIAN MULTIPLE BURIALS

No. Multiple Burial (Gravettian) Location Site 1. Barma Grande 2 Italy Cave 2. Barma Grande 3 Italy Cave 3. Barma Grande 4 Italy Cave 4. Grotte des Enfants 5 Italy Cave 5. Grotte des Enfants 6 Italy Cave 6. Dolni Vestonica 13 Czech Open 7. Dolni Vestonica 14 Czech Open 8. Dolni Vestonica 15 Czech Open 9. Dolni Vestonica 16 Czech Open 10. Mal’ta 1 Russia Open 11. Mal’ta 2 Russia Open 12. Sungir 2 Russia Open 13. Sungir 3 Russia Open

TABLE 3 SAMPLES FROM THE EPI-GRAVETTIAN SINGLE BURIAL

No. Single Burial (Epi-Gravettian) Location Site 1. Grotta Continenza? uncertain Italy Rockshelter 2. Grotta Continenza 7 certain Italy Rockshelter 3. Grotta de Romita 3 Italy Cave 4. Grotta del Romita 4 Italy Cave 5. Grotta del Romita 7 Italy Cave 6. Grotta del Romita 8 Italy Cave 7. Grotta della Mura 1 Italy Cave 8. Grotta delle 2 Italy Cave 9. Grotta delle Arene candide 8 Italy Cave 10. Grotta delle Arene candide 10 Italy Cave 11. Grotta delle Arene candide 11 Italy Cave 12. Grotta delle Arene candide 15 Italy Cave 13. Grotta di San Teodoro 1 Italy Cave 14. Grotta di San Teodoro 2 Italy Cave 15. Grotta di San Teodoro 4 Italy Cave 16. Grotta d’Oriente C Italy Cave 17. Grotta Maritza 1 Italy Cave 18. Grotta des Enfants 3 Italy Cave 19. Riparo Tagliente 1 Italy Rockshelter 20. Riparo Villabruna 1 Italy Rockshelter 21. Vado all’Arancio 1 Italy Cave 22. Vado all’Arancio 2 Italy Cave 6 Jurnal Sosioteknologi Volume 20, No. 1, April 2021

TABLE 4 SAMPLES FROM THE EPI-GRAVETTIAN MULTIPLE BURIALS

No. Multiple Burial (Epi-Gravettian) Location Site 1. Grotta del Romita 1 Italy Rockshelter 2. Grotta del Romita 2 Italy Rockshelter 3. Grotta del Romita 5 Italy Rockshelter 4. Grotta del Romita 6 Italy Rockshelter 5. Grotta delle Arene candide 5A Italy Cave 6. Grotta delle Arene candide 5B Italy Cave 7. Grotta des Enfants 1 Italy Cave 8. Grotta des Enfants 1 Italy Cave

DISCUSSION (1) The Location of Burial Site In terms of geographical location, the sites of The Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian single and multiple burials of the Gravettian and burial practices, particularly in Italy, are generally the Epi-Gravettian periods in Italy are mostly associated with the ancient Homo sapiens situated in limestone’s cave or . hunter-gatherers. It was mostly carried out in Meanwhile, those of the Gravettian period in caves and rock shelters because geologically Czech and Russia are mostly situated in an open Italy has extensive karstic systems throughout site (see Fig 3). For example, Dolni Vestonice Alpine mountains. as an open-air site in Czech, is situated along a stream (see Fig 4), and the Gravettian sites from Kostenki (Russia) were found in a -like deposit [2].

Figure 3 Cave Versus Open Site of Single and Multiple Burials THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE GRAVETTIAN AND... Johan Arif 7

Figure 4 Dolni Vestonica Site in Czech

Cave has a special meaning for hunter- paintings and burials (Fig 5). The person who gatherer communities, and it is almost never used was buried in the single burial in the cave might for the living; instead it is used for ritual purpose be of a high social status, such as a shaman such as sanctuaries. This notion is supported by (Hayden, 2003). several items such as the occurrences of cave

Figure 5 The Gravittian Single Burial (Woman) from Cavillon (Caviglione) Cave, (Italy). The Skull Was Adorned by a Number of Pendants: Shells and Teeth, with a few Lithic Tools and Bone Points and the Engraving of on the Wall of the Cave (Modified from Otte, 2016) 8 Jurnal Sosioteknologi Volume 20, No. 1, April 2021

(2) The Presence of Single Versus Multiple in the Epi-Gravettian in Italy, and Italy has the Burials largest number of single and multiple Gravettian Overall, the single burial is more numerous burials compared to Czech and Russia (see Fig than the multiple burials both in the Gravettian 6b, 6c & 6d). and the Epi-Gravettian periods, and the single The disparity of cultural behavior between burial is more dominant in the Epi-Gravettian the Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian periods than the Gravettian periods. Meanwhile, the in Italy can be deduced by the number of multiple burial pits are more dominant in the single burial and the environmental condition Gravettian than in the Epi-Gravettian periods at the Gravettian period developed during the (Fig 6a). However, the reasons behind the idea last glacial maximum (LGM) while the Epi- of multiple burials in the Gravettian period is Gravettian happened in warmer condition unknown. (Bertolini et al., 2015). Furthermore, if the geographical sites are considered, the single burial is more numerous

Figure 6 Single Burial Versus Multiple Burials in Italy, Czech and Russia. THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE GRAVETTIAN AND... Johan Arif 9

(3) The Compass Position of The Corpse in (4) The Corpse Placement (Prosthesis) in The Ground The Ground In Italy, the compass direction of the corpse of In Italy, the corpse placement of the Gravettian the Gravettian and Epi-Gravettian single burials single and multiple burials was commonly placed are North-South (N-S) or Northwest-Southeast tilted to the left or prone (Fig 8a), and those of (NW-SE) and Northwest-Southeast (NW-SE), Epi-Gravettian single and multiple burials were respectively (Fig 7a). Meanwhile, those of the commonly placed prone (Fig 8b). corpse of Gravettian and Epi-Gravettian multiple If the compass direction and the corpse burials are East-West (E-W) and Northwest- placement (prosthesis) in the ground and the Southeast (NW-SE), respectively (Fig 7b). position of the head are considered, they might The compass direction of the corpse of the be linked to the origin of the Gravettian and Epi- Gravettian single burials are North-South (N- Gravettian peoples (e.g., Holt & Formicola, 2008, S) or Northwest-Southeast (NW-SE) directions p. 73; Svoboda, 2007). If so, the ancestor of the in Czech (Fig 7c), and those of the Gravettian Gravettian peoples in Italy (and the Gravettian single burials in Russia are Northeast-Southwest peoples in Czech and Russia) apparently came (NE-SW) or Northwest-Southeast (NW-SE) from the East or the Southeast. (Fig 7d). It can therefore be said in general that in Italy that the compass position of the dead in the ground, both in the Gravettian and the Epi- Gravettian single and multiple burials, is North- South (N-S) or Northwest-Southeast (NW-SE).

Figure 7 Compass Direction of the Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian Burial in Italy, Czech, and Russia. Note: Unavailable Data for Epi-Gravettian Sites in Czech & Russia both for Single and Multiple Burials. 10 Jurnal Sosioteknologi Volume 20, No. 1, April 2021

Figure 8 The Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian Corpse Placement in Italy.

CONCLUSION If the compass direction and the corpse Since there are no data for the single and the placement (prosthesis) in the ground and the multiple burials in the Epi-Gravettian period in position of the head are considered, they might Czech and Russia, it can be concluded that the be linked to the origin of the Gravettian and burial practices in Italy are as follows. Epi-Gravettian peoples. The ancestors of the The Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian Gravettian peoples in Italy (and the Gravettian burial practices, particularly in Italy, are generally peoples in Czech and Russia) are deemed to associated with the ancient Homo sapiens have come from the East or the Southeast. hunter-gatherers. It was mostly carried out in The disparity of cultural behavior between caves and rock shelters because, geologically, the Gravettian and the Epi-Gravettian periods Italy has extensive karstic systems throughout in Italy can be deduced by the number of single Alpine mountains. Meanwhile, the Gravettian burial and the environmental condition where, burial sites in Czech, and Russia were located in at the Gravettian period, developed during the alluvial plains. last glacial maximum (LGM) while the Epi- The single burials are more numerous in Gravettian happened in warmer condition. the Epi-Gravettian in Italy, and Italy has the largest number of the Gravettian single and ACKNOWLEDGMENT multiple burials when compared to Czech and The authors would like to express sincere Russia. thanks to Mr. Graham Paterson from In Italy, the compass position of the for his review of the English draft, and for his dead in the ground, both in the Gravettian and comments and non-technical suggestions. the Epi-Gravettian single and multiple burials, are North-South (N-S) or Northwest-Southeast REFERENCES (NW-SE). Bertolini, M., Cristiani, E., Modolo, M., In Italy, the compass position of the dead Visentini, P., & Romandini, M. (2015). in the ground, both in the Gravettian and the Late and Epi-Gravettian single and multiple burials, are foragers of the eastern Alpine region: North-South (N-S) or Northwest-Southeast Animal exploitation and ornamental (NW-SE). strategies at Riparo Biarzo (Northern Italy), International (2015), http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.09.083/ THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE GRAVETTIAN AND... Johan Arif 11

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